The Dental Hygiene Program is a two-year Associate in Science degree program that is highly academic with an emphasis on clinical skills to prepare students to assess, develop, plan, implement and evaluate the medical/dental status and appropriate dental hygiene care for the patient. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination and qualify for the State or Regional Registered Dental Hygiene licensure examination. Graduates of the program perform preventative dental services, often working one-on-one with a patient.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and values for the practice of dental hygiene.
• Students will demonstrate the necessary knowledge and values in legal regulations and ethical issues for the practice of dental hygiene.

Career Opportunities

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment of dental hygienists is expected to grow 30 percent through 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. This projected growth ranks dental hygienists among the fastest growing occupations, in response to increasing demand for dental care and the greater use of dental hygienists. Opportunities exist for a registered dental hygienist in general or dental specialties such as pediatrics and periodontics. Other career opportunities include public health, sales representative, dental hygiene educator, consultant and continuing education.

*Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

NOTE: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a GPA of 2.0 or higher is required in all core and support courses for the degree. All courses must be taken in sequence and must be completed with a grade "C" or higher.

Program Type(s):

AS = Associate in Science Degree.

Additional Information:

APPLICATION
• Date AVAILABLE: August 1 at our web site: www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh/.
• Application DEADLINE: February 8 for admittance to the program in June. Applicants who have previously applied and wish to reapply must submit a new application and accompanying materials. Final selection is made by May, at which time, letters of acceptance or non-acceptance are mailed.
• TRANSCRIPTS: High school and college transcripts are required and should include all work attempted and completed through December of the previous year. Failure to comply will delay processing your application. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
• CORRESPONDENCE: All correspondence for admission should be sent via Certified Mail and directed to:
Dental Hygiene Program
Foothill College
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hill, CA 94022

Prerequisites:
Selective admission into the Dental Hygiene Program is based on the following; high school diploma or equivalent, grades of “C” or higher in college level biology course CHEM 30A and 30B or equivalent, MATH 105 or 108 or equivalent, AHS 200 and D H 200L, eligibility for ESLL 26 or ENGL 1A; a grade point average of 2.5, and compliance with the technical standards. D H 200L waiver can be obtained by possession of a current and active California RDAEF license (Registered Dental Assistant in Extended Functions). Prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline. Program information, admission criteria details and applications can be found at the Dental Hygiene Program website: www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh/

Additional Dental Hygiene Information:
The Dental Hygiene Program begins in the Summer and extends two years. There is no evening program. All dental hygiene courses must be taken in sequence and passed with a grade of "C" or higher. Twenty-four students are admitted to the program each year. Selection is made from a large group of qualified applicants and is based on criteria approved by the Foothill College Administration and consistent with State regulations. The criteria includes college units, GPA, science background, and related work experience. The Dental Hygiene Program admissions criteria details and the application can be found at the web site www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh/.

Recommendation; It is strongly recommended that BIOL 40A, 40B, 40C, 41, 45, 58 be completed before entrance into the program, due to the academic & clinic load of the Dental Hygiene Program. Anatomy and Physiology studied in a language other than English will not be considered.

NOTE: Physical examinations and immunizations are required for clinical internships. Background screening and drug testing may be required by clinical facilities. Positive results could impact a student's chances of attending clinics, completing the program requirements or gaining a license to practice upon graduation. The cost of required physical examinations, background screenings and drug tests will be paid by the student. Students accepted into the program will be provided with specific details.

Counseling: Please contact the Counseling appointment desk at (650) 949-7423 to make an appointment with the Dental Hygiene Counselor, Ms. Brenda Johnson. We strongly recommend that all prospective applicants meet with Ms. Johnson.

The Dental Hygiene Program has an articulation agreement with San Jose State University for a Bachelor's of Science in Health Sciences, Option 5. It is recommended that students take ENGL 1B and MATH 10 or MATH 57 to prepare for the dental hygiene program and for transfer. These courses are not required for the Dental Hygiene Program, but are excellent preparation.